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Aeolus Cal/Val Lidar HALO Data
Aeolus Cal/Val Flight Paths
AEOLUS Cal/Val Lidar Data

Aeolus

Aeolus Calibration/Validation

Data Centers

ASDC

NASA’s Aeolus Calibration/Validation (Cal/Val) field campaign was conducted to validate measurements from the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) Atmospheric Dynamics Mission-Aeolus (ADM-Aeolus) satellite that uses Doppler lidar to measure wind profiles. In addition, Aeolus provides valuable information on aerosols and cloud layer vertical distribution and their optical properties. 

Based out of Palmdale, CA, the Aeolus Cal/Val campaign conducted five research flights from April 17-30, 2019 over the eastern Pacific Ocean. The goal of Aeolus was to demonstrate the performance of NASA’s Doppler Aerosol WiNd (DAWN) lidar and High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO), flown onboard NASA’s DC-8 aircraft, under a wide variety of weather and aerosol conditions and to perform initial comparisons with ADM-Aeolus level 2 measurements. Dropsondes were also deployed during these flights. 

DAWN is an airborne instrument that uses pulsed lasers at varying scan angles to detect the movement of atmospheric aerosols, such as dust or sea salt, and can profile wind vectors (both speed and direction). HALO uses a combined Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) to profile atmospheric aerosols and water vapor. Aerosol and wind measurements can be paired together to understand the capabilities of DAWN and what its strengths and weaknesses are, and to evaluate ADM-Aeolus’s aerosol and wind measurements.

Aeolus Project Page

Project DOI: 10.5067/SUBORBITAL/AEOLUSCALVAL2019/DATA001

  • Validate measurements from ESA’s ADM-Aeolus satellite
  • Demonstrate the performance of NASA’s Doppler Aerosol WiNd (DAWN) lidar and High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) under a wide variety of weather and aerosol conditions and to perform initial comparisons with ADM-Aeolus level 2 measurements
PlatformInstruments
NASA DC-8Doppler Aerosol WiNd Lidar (DAWN)
Dropsondes
High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO)
Global Positioning System
Temperature Sensors
Hygrometers
Pressure Sensors

Related Instruments

Doppler Aerosol WiNd Lidar (DAWN) The Doppler Aerosol WiNd Lidar (DAWN) is an active remote, airborne lidar that uses a pulsed, solid-state laser that operates at a wavelength of 2 micrometers to detect aerosol backscatter in the atmosphere.
Dropsonde (Dropsonde) Dropsondes, or dropwindsondes, are in situ instruments released from aircraft equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and sensors to collect profile measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and direction.
High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) provides vertical profiles of aerosol and cloud optical properties, atmospheric water vapor, and methane.